|
interlocutor
An "interlocutor" is a person who takes part in a conversation or dialogue.(1) This term has occasionally been used to describe a role played by Mary Magdalene in some [Gnostic texts] in which she asks Jesus questions. Far from being ordinary types of questions, however, she asks about complex subjects such as the nature of the soul, the Divine, and Jesus' teachings. Her questioning activity has contributed to the opinion held by many scholars, such as [Karen King], that Mary Magdalene had a more mature understanding of Jesus' message than his other disciples.
In [Pistis Sophia], a Gnostic collection of dialogues between Jesus and his followers, a crucial part of Jesus' teaching method involves his disciples asking questions that will allow him to more fully illustrate his message. Of the 115 questions asked in the text, 67 were asked by a woman believed to be Mary Magdalene.(2) In some cases, she asks questions on behalf of others who are listening, and occasionally, she even answers questions herself.
Texts in which Mary Magdalene acts as interlocutor are:
Although the texts have since been lost, one fourth-century writing makes reference to two [Gnostic] texts called [The Great Questions of Mary] and [The Lesser Questions of Mary].(3) The titles of these lost works also support the existence of a strong Gnostic tradition of Mary Magdalene as interlocutor.
Footnotes:
1. Oxford English Dictionary, 2005, http://dictionary.oed.com.
2. Marjanen, Antti. The Woman Jesus Loved: Mary Magdalene in the Nag Hammadi Library & Related Documents, p. 174. Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1996. It is also worth noting that there is some controversy regarding the identity of Mary Magdalene in Pistis Sophia. Please see [Gnostic Mary].
3. [Epiphanius of Salamis], Against Heresies.
EM entry history:
[Back to Encyclopedia Magdalena entries]
©2005, Lesa Bellevie and Magdalene.org. Please do not reproduce without permission.
|
